Fireman Rob - Endurance Triathlete and Fireman

Imagine competing an Ironman in a complete fighter gear including helmet, jacket, pants and air pack. Total weight = 50 lbs. Sounds crazy? Rob completed 20 long-distance triathlons and 23 marathons in full firefighter gear and yet has not have had enough.

Rob Verhelst from the US is a US Air Force veteran and has worked as a firefighter at Madison/Wisconsin for 14 years. After the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center in 2001, he was one of the courageous firefighters who were looking for survivors and retrieved dead victims at “Ground Zero” for one week in extremely tough conditions. After that, Robert Verhelst founded the “Fireman Rob Foundation”, which is to serve as a platform to encourage others to show social commitment. His mantra is “Your Strength Is In Your Passion”. One of his projects is to provide teddy bears to children in children’s hospitals.

Rob is a unique and passionate athlete who strives to motivate and inspire others through action and words. Being a veteran firefighter for the last 12 years, Rob initially got the inspiration for racing in firefighter gear from wanting to remember 9/11, at the 10 anniversary which landed on 2011 Ironman Wisconsin. Remembering the positives of the efforts people gave, as well as how people worked inspired him to give something back. “I was once told when I just started racing with my firefighter gear that ‘It may not be easy, but it will be worth it’. And this is the truth. The achievement of being able to travel the globe and inspire people to live their passion is amazing.”
Rob’s goal for 2015 is to break the Guinness World Record for the most Ironman 70.3 in one year. He will do each and every one of them in full firefighter gear. “Going for the World Record with 50 extra lbs of fire gear on 23 Ironman 70.3 takes more than just effort. It also takes a shoe that you can rely on. I found my support in On”, says Rob.
Find out more about Rob and his foundation:
www.firemanrob.comwww.firemanrobfoundation.com